Archives for February 2019

With a connection to nature and an understanding of light, fine art nature photographer George Wheelhouse’s images share a unique perspective of the beauty of the natural world. George’s fresh approach to his work is strongly influenced by his background in art and design. While George photographs subjects close to home in Bedfordshire, UK, he also shares a passion for traveling to photograph the wildlife and landscapes of other captivating parts of the world. George’s photography effectively conveys his love of the outdoors and moments in nature with his viewers.

It’s my pleasure to share George’s thoughts and ideas about his work with my readers. George, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and views of nature through your words and photography and for allowing us to get to know a bit about you.

I’m a fine art nature photographer. I shoot portraits of animals for wall art, specialising in high-key and low-key images. I also enjoy travelling for landscape photography in picturesque locations away from the crowds. It’s both my creative outlet and my escape from the busy modern world.

Where do you call home?

I live in Bedfordshire, UK; home of… well not a lot really. But I love to travel.

After browsing through your website, I see that you’re truly immersed in the field of photography. What is it that led you towards photography and how long have you been working in it?

I’ve always enjoyed nature and the outdoors, and I used to draw animals from reference photos, in pencil and pastel. I picked up a camera in 2009, and was soon hooked. I love learning new things, and new skills, and found a whole world to discover in photography. I’ve now surpassed the level I reached with drawing, and I’m enjoying pushing my boundaries in photography. I love using light and shadow, and constantly play with the effects I can achieve.

Are you self-taught or formally-taught?

I’ve never had any formal photography tuition. I started by getting 2 or 3 photography books from the library, and off I went.

In regard to marketing, how much of your time do you dedicate to social media? Do you use any special programs or services?

I don’t prioritise social media over other things, but I share on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I use Instagram the most, as it really values the image over all else. I wish they’d do an iPad version though.

Locations and weather conditions seem to be a crucial aspect to a successful picture. How do you handle these unpredictable factors?

I go in with several plans, so I’m generally able to react to light and weather, and adapt accordingly. Often things just don’t work out, but I still learn, and enjoy my time outdoors or with an animal.

What type of photography shoots do you look forward to?

I love working with larger animals, and especially in low light. It’s rare you can rely on strong low light in the UK, but when it comes off it’s very rewarding. The shoots I look forward to most are the ones with the scope to try things out, and play with a few different ideas.

When shooting subjects, what do you find most challenging?

Animals and wildlife have their own minds, and when they don’t want to be photographed I have to respect that. Sometimes it’s a case of patience and persistence, and other times I have to change my approach entirely.

What’s the best part of being a photographer?

The freedom to create images never before captured, and to follow my own instinct, rather than that of the crowd.

What is the most challenging part of being a photographer?

The constant failure! It’s hard. My standards are high. I rarely achieve the photo I have in mind. It can be easy to think you’re getting nowhere, but when I look back at my portfolio I can see I’m going in the right direction. You’ve got to play the long game.

How do you keep your photography fresh and how do you stay motivated to keep on learning?

If I wasn’t learning and improving I’d quickly get bored. There’s a whole world of visual arts out there, with almost infinite potential. I’m hugely creatively motivated, and I always want to raise my game. That in itself keeps the standard of my work evolving, in addition to my interest in nature and my desire to bring that connection with nature to a mainstream audience.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer just starting out?

Make sure you’re enjoying what you do, and that you’re getting satisfaction from it – either from the results, or the learning process. It sounds like a simple one, but it can be deceptively hard.

Share with us your favorite image and why.

Gosh, I can’t pick a favourite, but this Swaledale sheep portrait is one I’m particularly pleased with. They’re the icon of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and I had this image in mind for several years before managing to find a suitable and willing subject. I was really lucky to find this old ewe, and get a strong sunlight to enable me to capture this. So it’s both an aesthetic I enjoy, and a very rewarding image to have achieved.

What do you hope viewers take away from your images?

A connection with the subject. I want bring a bit of nature into people’s daily lives. We’re losing our connection with the natural world, and it’s more important for us to reconnect now than ever before.

What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What is your favorite lens?

I shoot with a Nikon D810, and my new favourite lens is the Sigma 100-400mm. Relatively speaking it’s a budget lens, but it’s sharp, and the focal length is enjoyably versatile.

What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have yet?

A mythical all-rounder lens for carrying up mountains; sharp, lightweight, 24-300mm zoom, f4 or f5.6. I might be waiting some time for that.

How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

I rarely use Photoshop, but Lightroom is indispensable. Since I shoot raw files, they all need processing, and I enjoy the opportunity for creativity that presents. Sometimes the final image is very similar to the raw file, and sometimes they differ greatly. I enjoy the processing as much as I do the photo shoot.

Can you tell me about one of your favorite or most memorable photo shoots? What made it so great and why did you like it so much?

My favourite wildlife experience in the UK is photographing puffins, on Skomer Island in Wales. They’re such characterful birds, and as long as you’re patient and respectful, they’ll come very close to you. There is a huge amount of scope to do your own thing there too, so you have plenty of options available in terms of the type of shots to go for. Really it’s a case of seeing where your creativity takes you. Photography aside, it’s also an amazing wildlife encounter, and hugely enjoyable.

Do you have any projects that make you look back and shake your head? What made the experience so unpleasant?

We all suffer set-backs, but nothing really springs to mind as an unpleasant project/experience.

Are there any areas of photography that you have yet to pick up on that you’d like to learn?

My reliance on natural light has been both a blessing and a curse. It’s forced me to get creative with it in a variety of ways, but it’s also a limitation. Thankfully a friend of mine is helping to demystify the world of flash and artificial lighting, and that’s the area I’d really like to get to grips with next.

What do you think the future holds for you? Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

I’m not an optimist, and I don’t expect to conquer the world. But as long as I’m creating new work I’ll be happy. I’m currently reconnecting with what I enjoy about photography; I want to expand my portfolio of creative animal portraits, and to continue visiting interesting and underpopulated wilderness areas. I’ll see where that take me and enjoy the ride.

Wouldn’t you agree that an extraordinary photograph should capture a particular point in time at a specific place? Then you would concur with Sunderland, England based landscape Photographer Stuart Lawton. Stuart believes that a good photograph should project this idea fully to a viewer at a later time. Stuart strives to capture a wide variety of subjects and this is successfully conveyed with his love of photography.

Thank you, Stuart and it’s my pleasure to share your insight and experiences with our readers. You are a remarkable photographer and someone who’s work is definitely worth following. I hope to see more great things from you in the future!

If you would like to see more of Stuart’s work, you can visit his website. You can also follow him on Twitter.

Can you please tell the readers a bit about yourself?

I’m a landscape photographer from England. Before becoming a photographer I worked in I.T., and I have a BSc (Hons) degree in technology. My hobbies are the outdoors (which is fortunate for a landscape photographer), computer maintenance and motor vehicle maintenance.

Where is home?

I live in Sunderland, a coastal city in the North-East of England. The weather can be chilly and damp, however, the scenery is breathtaking.

After browsing through your website, I see that you’ve built up an extensive collection of wonderful photography. What is it that led you towards this field and how long have you been working in it?

In 2012 I purchased a DSLR and started taking photographs. Within a year or so, there were people complimenting my images and a number of working pro-photographers and print/publishing company executives said I had a ‘talent’ and gave me pointers of what to concentrate on to improve further.

What inspired you to be a photographer?

I had a major illness in 2012, which led to the purchase of my first DSLR. I had always been interested in photography, but up until that point I used bridge cameras and fixed lens compact cameras. I was pretty much hooked within the first week.

What type of session do you look forward to the most vs what type of session you most often do?

I most look forward to spending time at a beautiful location with great light and an interesting sky doing tripod based work (in particular 10-stop filter work which I love). Although usually I end up shooting handheld shots more whilst being more mobile gathering content for agencies that I supply.

What has been the easiest part of learning about photography?

The easiest part of learning about photography for me has been digital processing, as I already had skills in these applications due to my I.T. background.

What has been the most challenging part of photography?

The most challenging part of photography has been being overly self-critical of my own work.

In regard to marketing, how much of your time do you dedicate to social media? Do you use any special programs or services?

Constantly learning and improving is my main inspiration in life. I think that if there was nothing left to learn anything can become boring, but I don’t think that this will ever be the case with photography. No photographer knows it all.

What industry sites and blogs do you read regularly? Would any stand out as particularly motivational or inspirational for someone who might be interested in learning about photography?

I regularly read a wide range of UK photography magazines in print format, such as Professional Photo, Digital Camera, Amateur Photographer and N Photo. I also enjoy many photography websites, blogs and vlogs online.

When I was initially learning photography, I found the UK magazine Digital Camera, and in particular (the then technical editor) Chris Rutter’s advice, to be invaluable. A landscape photography book that was also inspiring and informative for me when I was starting out was ‘Contemporary Landscape Photography’ by Carl. E. Heilman II.

Are there any photographers out there who motivate you? If so, who are they and what is it you like so much about them?

I like many different photographers and often learn from other peoples thought processes and ideas that are evident in their pictures. The landscape photography favourites of mine are Joe Cornish and David Noton.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer just starting out?

Try to grasp the exposure triangle as soon as possible, in order to understand how aperture, shutter speed and ISO are all linked. This will give you great control over your camera from an early stage and your shot quality will reflect this.

Share with us your favorite image and why.

I called this image Simplicity. I love the elegance of the shot and the way that it is uncomplicated yet effective.

What do you hope viewers take away from your images?

I genuinely hope that my images make the viewers feel good, or at least move them in some way. That is my aim at least.

What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What is your favorite lens?

I shoot Nikon DSLRs and mostly prefer to spend my money on new glass (lens) rather than constantly having to have the latest camera body (which I used to do at first). I have also recently started to use Panasonic Lumix CSC cameras, and have grown to love the portability and power that is contained in such a small package.

My favourite photography accessory is my Velbon Sherpa 5370D tripod with the PH157Q head. I’ve tried numerous other tripods, but always go back to this one as it’s light yet stable.

What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have yet?

I would most like to get a Nikon D850 DSLR.

How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

Adobe Lightroom, and to a lesser extent Adobe Photoshop, are very important to me for my final images as I always want to access the full dynamic range of the camera from the RAW file, and also want to make any necessary fine tuning to the image.

Can you tell me about one of your favorite or most memorable photo sessions? What made it so great and why did you like it so much?

I’m fortunate in that there have been too many memorable photo sessions to name. Notable days and locations include at York, Whitby, Saint Mary’s Lighthouse and Weardale in the UK. They were all very picturesque locations with great light on the day.

Do you have any projects that make you look back and shake your head? What made the experience so unpleasant?

One occasion that made me look back and shake my head was the time when I photographed the Sunderland International Airshow and had clients waiting for my images from the event. Unfortunately when I arrived home I discovered that the SD card that I had used had corrupted and I was unable to access any of the images from the day. Consequently, I had to return to the airshow the following day and complete the whole exercise again.

Here in Maine, the black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) are displaying early courting behavior. February, after all, is the month of love. In recent weeks, I have noticed a change in the behavior of these birds. For example, the males are now starting to sing. Females are more likely to mate with males that have won a singing contest by singing the best song. I have also found that food hasn’t been their primary focus of attention lately. The flocks that usually frequent the feeders have begun to break up and find new territories in order to scout out next season’s nesting areas. One thing that hasn’t changed this month is the fact that every time I am outside getting the mail or walking around the yard, a few of these birds follow me. These are the birds that need to “get with the program” and focus on their displays of courtship. I suppose even though spring is around the corner, there is still some time left for these birds to pair up with their mates and find future nesting sites.

Black-capped chickadees pairs typically form in fall and remain together for part of the winter.

Black-capped chickadees are among some of the birds of North American that spend the nesting season together. Flocks will break up in late winter and both members of a pair help defend their nesting territory.

Nests are built by female black-capped chickadees.

Both male and female black-capped chickadees excavate a cavity site.

This is also the time that you can provide these birds with nesting boxes. Black-capped chickadees are especially attracted to nesting boxes filled with sawdust or wood shavings.

Also, as a reminder for all of you bird lovers out there, it is time for The Great Backyard Bird Count. The count is February 15-18, 2019. If you haven’t done so already, make sure to sign up and get involved with the count. You can participate for at least 15 minutes or more on each day of the count. After your observations, simply tally the number of birds you have seen. You can participate from any location.

On this day of love, I wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day and happy bird watching this coming weekend!

With a love of the natural world, Photographer Kate Del Fante Scott spends a great deal of time quenching her thirst for seeking adventure and feeding her addiction to travel. As a resident of Cape Town, Kate finds she is at her happiest when she is one with nature in the wild and untamed bushveld of South Africa. Kate is an Architect by profession with a keen eye, who captures and delivers fine art photographic images of wildlife, landscapes and architecture. These images convey her love of her surroundings, while also sharing unique and unexpected moments in nature with her viewers. My personal favorites of Kate’s photographs are her remarkable wildlife photographs.

It’s my pleasure to share Kate’s thoughts and ideas about her work with my readers. Kate, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and view of nature through your words and photography and for allowing us to get to know a bit about you.

If you’d like to learn more about Kate, please visit her website. You can also visit her on Instagram.

Can you please tell the readers a bit about yourself?

I am an architect from South Africa, I’m 37 years old, I have 2 little girls with my husband who is also an Architect. Besides design and photography I am a addicted to travel, I love discovering new places, and seeing the world. I love being outdoors and mountain bike, surf, ride and trail run.

Where do you call home?

I live in Cape Town, South Africa.

After browsing through your website, I see that you’re truly immersed in the field of photography. What is it that led you towards photography and how long have you been working in it?

As I mentioned. I’m actually an Architect by profession. Architectural photography is a natural extension of my trade, and an important part of exercising my design eye in a different way. Nature, wildlife and travel photography are my passion and escape and again a natural extension of how I live and my passions – travel and nature.

Architecture is an intense and stressful career. I needed a creative outlet that lets me express myself away from the constraints of clients, budgets and structures. As a designer I am obviously very drawn to creative visual arts, so photography was the perfect choice. I have been working professionally as a architectural photographer for about 5 years. I have been photographing wildlife seriously for about 7 years.

What is your favorite part of being a photographer?

I love being outdoors, especially in the bushveld of Africa. I am a very analytical person, and enjoy the technical aspect and love the creative freedom.

What is the most challenging part of being a photographer?

Time – editing, deadlines and most importantly chasing the sun!

Being that my main focus is wildlife lighting conditions are often not ideal even at the best sightings. That can be very frustrating! But equally challenging to push yourself to look for a different type of shot.

What type of photography shoots do you look forward to?

Game lodges and content production for their websites. It involves all the things I love, travel, the great outdoors and wildlife.

What is your favorite part of heading out to a new location?

Discovering new opportunities and a fresh perspective.

How do you keep your photography fresh and how do you stay motivated to keep on learning?

As equipment evolves you naturally get pushed to try new techniques think. I love scrolling through Instagram and analyzing others work to figure out how they got their shot. I read a lot of photography magazines, and just experiment a lot at home when I can. With those great wildlife shots, there’s no ‘luck’ – it’s when opportunity meets preparation!

Share with us your favorite image and why.

The rhino in the midden is my favorite, I loved the way he turned to face me dead straight on just as he kicked up the dust beside him. It gives the rhino such symmetry against the dusty rose foliage. My most popular image is the men on the dhow in Zanzibar.

What do you hope viewers take away from your images?

The Serenity and beauty of nature.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer just starting out?

Never stop pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Master a technique, learn a new one. It doesn’t matter what is in your camera bag, all a great photographer needs a brain full of tools to take amazing images even with a phone!

What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What is your favorite lens?

My main camera body I own is a Canon 7D mkii. I love its burst rate for wildlife. My favorite lens is my Canon EF 100-400mm L ISii for wildlife and a 16-35mm f2.8 L for Architecture. Love my 50mm f1.4 prime lens for portraits.

I do rent equipment when I need to, so I love to shoot on Canon 5Dmkiv, and the 70-200 f2.8 Lii, and any super telephoto is a privilege to shoot with.

What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have yet?

I really need a telephoto extender. Not actually sure why I don’t have one yet! The lens I’m listing after is the Canon 11 – 24mm L series lens, I definitely will upgrade to the 7D mkiii when it is released and maybe in my dreams one day a EF 500mm L ISii.

How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

Essential! Sharpening, a bit of pushing of the curve, pulling details back from the highlights. I think images come to life and get that pro polish with these tweaks. I don’t believe in too much manipulation, the truth must still prevail, but image enhancement is today’s photographers digital dark room.

Do you have any projects that make you look back and shake your head? What made the experience so unpleasant?

I cannot stand event photography. Wedding photographers I have so much respect for you. It’s just too unpredictable and rushed for me. I like to take my time with a shot.

Can you tell me about one of your favorite or most memorable photo shoots? What made it so great and why did you like it so much?

Shooting in Botswana is and always will be a highlight. The okavango delta and Chobe are just the most breathtakingly beautiful places, teaming with wildlife in it’s most untouched way.

Are there any areas of photography that you have yet to pick up on that you’d like to learn?

Here is our situation. The property next to ours is almost fifty acres and is very beautiful. We have often fantasized about what it would be like to own that amount of property, or at least own some of it. We have discovered along the way that the owners of the property live out west. There have been many discussions as to how to contact them. A phone call or perhaps a letter of inquiry. Often, individuals in Maine will sit on a piece of property for a number of years and then sell it to logging companies for profit. Sometimes, it’s possible to get in touch with property owners and make a purchase before the logging companies ever get involved. Logging would be an awful outcome in this situation, because this particular piece covers a good amount of area alongside our road. For it to be cut would indeed ruin the local wooded beauty and would leave the birds and wildlife without homes. If you have ever seen a logged piece of land, you know it looks like there was an apocalypse. We have a pretty substantial amount of property ourselves, but can you ever have too much land? Especially in a beautiful state like Maine.

We got to talking about this piece of property with friends of ours and our conversations sparked their interest in it as well. Among the group, there have been all sorts of wishful methods for acquiring this piece of property. First, we would have to find out what the owner’s intentions are regarding its sale and how much this whole thing would cost. Before all of that, we would have to take a look at what we were dealing with. This is where our exploration of the property comes into play.

It was a beautiful and sunny Sunday afternoon when our friends came over for a day of exploration of the property in the snow. As we broke trail, I got to thinking about how I was the only female in the group. I also thought about how being the only female during these types of events has been a common occurrence throughout my life. I’ll tell you a bit about that now.

When I was younger, I used to spend a lot of time with my best pal, Lauriana from grade school. In school and during recess, we spent most of out time with the boys. The girls would jump rope and play with each other’s hair. My friend and I enjoyed G.I. Joe and the A-Team, which were favorites of the boys. To this day, I have yet to learn how to french braid hair. Perhaps, I would have picked up such skills if I had spent recess with the other girls every once in a while. During the summer, when my mother was working, Lauriana’s older sisters would watch my siblings and me. This made the summers quite enjoyable. Not only did we see each other at school, we also got to spend our break together too. This all ended when she moved away to Florida. We kept in touch and we are still in touch to this day, but her move sure changed things. There were no worries though, because I still had my brother and little sister. Before my sister was born, it was just my brother and me. My brother and I always got along and spent a lot of time together. We are only fourteen months apart and we would wrestle and horse around quite frequently. There was one time during one of our wrestling sessions that my brother’s two front deciduous teeth somehow ended up stuck in my head. Now, there is something you don’t see every day or in fact, experience at all – ever. He was too young and it was much too early for him to lose these teeth. With my mother’s quick thinking, she was able to get his teeth back into his mouth with ice. With some pressure, the teeth stayed where they were supposed to. You would think that we would have learned our lesson from this experience, but alas, our horse playing continued into our adult years.

Back in the day, before play dates, social media and the cell phones of today, people’s parents made plans to get together in person or on the phone. Sometimes people simply decided to spend time with each other. A lot of my parents’ friends had sons. When all of us got together, I would often be the only girl in the group of children. I didn’t mind it though, because we lived in an apartment and didn’t have our own property. Playing with the boys, I got to spend time hanging around in tree houses, riding bikes, running around in the woods, swimming and passing through other people’s yards.

When I was older and we moved to the suburbs, there was only one other girl for me to spend time with on our road. We sometimes played basketball and often saw each other at school. We both have last names that start with a “G” so we saw each other in home room for six years. Other than that, the neighborhood consisted of only boys. I didn’t mind this at all though because we “ran” the neighborhood and got into all kinds of innocent trouble. I recently got back in touch with one of my old neighbors, Mike, on Facebook. To make sure it was really me and before we became “friends,” he wanted to know if I was Laura, A.J.’s sister. This used to happen quite often as I was growing up. I was always referred to as A.J.’s sister and the amusing part is, I’m the older one! I have always been treated like the younger sibling. I suppose I will never rid myself of this title.

Anyway, back to the hike of today. As the guys walked ahead of me doing their thing, I was able to take many photographs during our time exploring the property next door. The land doesn’t have any posted signs, so according to the law in Maine, we weren’t trespassing and were able to proceed as far as we wanted to. We made quite a few discoveries along the way and we finally got to see how beautiful this piece of land truly is.

The beginning of our walk.

Snow-filled trees.

The sun coming through the trees.

A snow-covered landscape.

Before we moved on to the property next door, I had the boys pose for a group photograph.

Breaking the trail.

A bright winter afternoon.

A thick snow trail.

Here is the brook that runs parallel with our road. We often spend a lot of time on the brook on our own property.

A snowy brook.

Moving right along through the woods.

Looking to the west.

Taking a break to play.

Playing on a snow covered downed tree.

Another group shot in the snow.

A frozen section of the brook.

The ice melting on the brook.

The shore of the brook.

Walking on the frozen section of the brook.

The end of our hike and back home.

After our great hike through the snow, we got back to the house and enjoyed some hot tea to warm up. During one of our trips to Reny’s after Christmas, I had picked up a box of Stash’s Christmas in Paris herbal tea. It was on clearance and I thought it was worth a try. The tea is a blend of chocolate, lavender and peppermint. I am not a big fan of chocolate and minty combinations of anything, but this tea was actually quite nice. Maybe it had something to do with the introduction of lavender. The tea was a big hit all around. I think the lavender balanced things out and the tea was a nice substitute for the more traditional hot chocolate that usually comes after a big hike in the snow.

At the end of the day, I think we had quite an enjoyable time. There were a couple of tumbles in the terrain and one mishap with a foot getting wet in the brook, but all in all it was yet another good day with the boys. Inquiring about the property would have to wait for another day, but you never know what will happen in the future!

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing a very talented professional Photographer based in San Rafael, California. Her name is Cathy Summa-Wolfe and she draws inspiration for her work from the natural beauty of her surroundings. As you browse through some of the photos from her collection below, I think you’ll agree that she’s quite accomplished at her craft. Thank you, Cathy, for spending the time to share your story with us and view of the world through your camera lens. Your body of work is truly inspiring.

If you’d like to learn more about Cathy, please visit her website. You can also follow her on Instagram.

Can you please tell the readers a bit about yourself?

My professional background encompasses a 30 year career in graphic design, photography, marketing and fundraising. I have an MBA from CSU Monterey Bay and studied graphic design at the University of California, Santa Cruz. My design and communications work has received numerous regional and national awards. I retired as the Executive Director of Advancement, Communications and Community Relations at College of Marin in 2014 and have since been rediscovering photography and the creative arts.

Where do you call home?

San Rafael, California.

When did you first become interested in photography and how long have you been involved with it?

My interest in photography began at an early age when my father, who was a professional photographer, gave me my first camera. I used a camera throughout my career as a publicist. My training in graphic design informs the composition of my images. When I started working as a publicist early in my career, photographic skills were incredibly useful. I shot college events, staff portraits, classrooms, graduations and the like. Even though photography was not my primary job, it was an essential part of my public relations function.

Are you formally-taught or self-taught?

In addition to my father teaching me camera and photography basics, I’m a fan of Ansel Adams and Fred Archer’s zone system and have taken several formal photography classes. Most recently, my favorite workshops have been through the Point Reyes Field Study Institute, with instructor Gary Crabbe, who worked with renown photographer Galen Rowell. Continuing to learn and push the envelope of my visual vocabulary is important to me.

What inspired you to be a photographer?

The easy answer is that my father was my main inspiration. My father died in 2008. When I picked up my camera in 2014 to shoot something other than publicity, it was a way to reconnect with him. I also have always loved and been inspired by black and white photographers and photography. Dorothea Lange, Alfred Stieglitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Joel-Peter Witkin, and Diane Arbus were some of my early inspirations. Some of these photographers really pushed an envelope and conventional norms, which was interesting to me. Their works made me realize the innate power of imagery even if it’s somewhat controversial. Ironically, these days I mostly enjoy shooting birds or abstracts in color and not people. I think that’s because I didn’t get a chance to enjoy nature much when I was working full time. Shooting birds in particular is a great excuse to become absorbed in the beauty of the natural world and then share what I’ve seen with others through my photography.

In regard to marketing, how much of your time do you dedicate to social media? Do you use any special programs or services?

I try not to spend too much time on social media. It’s fun but it can be a time suck and there are so many options to choose from: Instagram, Facebook, FOAP, Pinterest, Twitter, WordPress, and LinkedIn among others. My favorite social media platform for photography is Instagram. I’ve met people from all over the world on Instagram and really enjoy communicating with them. I use my Facebook account for family and friends mostly, although I have a few FB followers and new acquaintances that like to see my photos. I like FB because I also can share stories that I like, mostly about birds and the environment.

As far as special software, I use Hootsuite schedule posts to Instagram and Facebook in advance. It’s more efficient to schedule posts instead of posting every day manually. I try to use my time efficiently. The first year that I was on Instagram I decided to challenge myself by posting a bird a day for one year. My slogan or tagline was “Another day, another bird.” I posted photos from and sometimes during my travels to Ecuador, Japan, Panama, Mexico, and around the U.S. and was amazed when over 1,000 people started following me. Today, I have over 12,000 followers and my account is still growing. My initial intent was simply to learn how to use Instagram, but I ended up becoming engaged in communicating with people from all over the world who have similar interests in avifauna.

What has been your most memorable session and why?

I think it was the months that I spent photographing hummingbirds at our ranch in San Juan Bautista. I stayed with the subject over an extended period of time and got some interesting images out of it. Most often, when people think of hummingbirds, they think of them in the context of pretty flowers. By shooting the birds at sunset, when the light turned the background black, the birds look more dramatic and fierce, and the feather detail is pretty amazing too.

When shooting subjects, what do you find most challenging?

I think shooting portraits of people is most challenging. Most people do not like photos of themselves. My father taught me how to pose people and light them to get flattering effects. Another trick that I sometimes have used is to flop the photo so that it is more like looking in a mirror instead of the reverse.

What’s the best part of being a photographer?

At one of my first gallery exhibit openings, I was walking around and overheard total strangers who came to see my show making some wonderful comments about my work. As someone who did publicity shots for years, it was really gratifying to hear people responding positively to my more artistic photos.

How do you keep your photography fresh and how do you stay motivated to keep on learning?

Seeing other photographer’s works keeps me motivated. With the advent of digital equipment and social media many more people are sharing their images through social media and it’s astonishing how good some of the non-professional work is out there. There are a few wildlife and nature photographers that I follow regularly on social media whose work I find very inspiring.

Do you visit any photography related websites or blogs on a regular basis and if so, which ones?

When I’m looking at buying equipment, I check out reviews on a few websites, including Ken Rockwell and the SLR Lounge because they are really thorough and get into the nitty gritty of specs, settings, and overall feel of the equipment. Other than that, I subscribe to Photography Forum, National Geographic, and Communication Arts magazines. I also like to go to museums and galleries to check out photography exhibits. I’m old school that way. I like to see things in print. xsw

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer just starting out?

Figure out what you have to say and find a way to express it visually through your work.

Share with us your favorite image and why.

This was such an unexpected shot. I didn’t know that American Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) necks were so flexible! I found a small flock of wild flamingos in Cancun in the early morning in mangroves at a resort that we were staying at that had expansive wetlands on the property. The light was perfect and they were preening and grooming. I had never seen wild flamingos before. In southern California where I went to high school in Ventura, neighbors had flamingo lawn ornaments and they were a symbol of kitsch. I guess because they were over represented I didn’t take them “seriously” until I saw them in Mexico.

What do you hope viewers take away from your images?

The wonder of avifauna and a greater appreciation for the fragility of our natural world.

What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?

I mostly shoot Nikon cameras, D850, D810, and an older 7100. Of those three, the D810 is my favorite camera body. It’s a real workhorse and renders raw images beautifully, even in low light. (If you’re wondering why I didn’t pick the D850, because it’s newer, quite honestly I’m having issues with excessive noise on the D850 and am not happy with the images, so it’s going back to Nikon for repairs. Also, when I travel to shoot birds, in addition to my birding rig, I take my Sony mirrorless A6000 with a 16-50mm and a 300mm prime lens. The little Sony is awesome for landscapes and wider angle shots and paired with the prime–it can even decently capture birds in a pinch.

What is your favorite lens?

Currently my favorite lens for birds and wildlife is the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200mm-500mm F/5.6 ED VR. (I’ve also owned the Tameron 150-600mm, the Sigma 150-600mm, and the Sigma 150-500mm and the Nikkor is the sharpest of all.) It’s a bit of a beast to hand hold but tack sharp and amazingly fast at acquiring and maintaining focus on moving objects, like birds in flight. I say it’s heavy, but not nearly as heavy as a prime lens would be, but heavier than the other telephotos that I’ve owned.

What is in your camera bag?

Snacks and something to drink (haha). But seriously, I probably carry too much in my bag, but that’s the girl scout in me–be prepared. To start, I have a lens cleaning kit, including a small blower attached to a soft-bristled brush, lens cleaning solution, lens tissue, and a cleaning cloth. I have four extra lithium batteries, six extra 32GB or 64GB memory cards, an extra lens cap, a polarizer filter, a Nikon 95mm Neutral Color NC Filter in case of rain weather (because unfortunately the 200-500mm is NOT weather proof), a mechanical compass and whistle (in case I get lost when out of cell range–see what I mean about being a girl scout lol?), portable solar phone charger and cable, gloves, wool balaclava, sun block, pocket knife with tools, business cards, ID, some cash, a nylon hiking blanket to sit on or use for cover, hand wipes, and a little first aid kit.

What is your favorite photography accessory?

My camera and lens combo is pretty hefty. If I had to choose just one accessory I’d say it’s the Black Rapid RS-Sport Strap, which takes the weight of my camera off my neck. The cross body design of the strap allows me to use my camera’s tripod collar with an arca plate and hook the collar foot on my belt taking all the weight off my shoulder and neck while also allowing me to carry the heavy gear for long periods without fatigue. I’ve been on trips where I’ve walked 8 hours a day for many consecutive days with my heavy equipment, so anything to keep the weight manageable is very important to me.

What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have yet?

Even though the additional weight might be a challenge, I’d love try my luck with 500mm prime lens. Most of my favorite wildlife photographers use prime lenses.

How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

I shoot in raw so post processing is very important. I use Adobe Photoshop for my post processing, but I think that it isn’t perfect for Nikon images as there is a visible loss of image quality. When I view an image in Photoshop compared with viewing it in Nikon View NX software, the lost is evident but Nikon’s software has limited features for post processing raw images.

Can you tell me about one of your favorite or most memorable photo shoots?

In 2016, I took a series of hummingbird photos for a solo exhibit at the Viewpoint Photographic Art Center, in Sacramento, California. I opted to shoot the images in natural light over a three month period at our ranch in San Juan Bautista. I discovered that there is about a 45 minute window right before sunset when the light hits hummers feeding on my front porch in such a way as to mimic a flash, but better than flash (my opinion) resulting in images with a more organic feel. Hummingbird wings beat at about 50 beats per second so stopping motion in relatively low light without a flash is tricky. I spent months honing the technique of capturing these little birds in mid-flight or mid-blink. It was a labor of love.

What made it so great and why did you like it so much?

I was just getting into bird and wildlife photography at the time, and getting used to a long telephoto lens. It was the first time that I started looking at birds as subjects in the abstract, as interesting shapes and reflections of light. The hummingbird series is on my website.

Do you have any projects that make you look back and shake your head? What made the experience so unpleasant?

Believe it or not I don’t remember any huge fails or disasters in my work. I did have difficulty with a cloth background once when I shot an executive portrait in the executive’s living room. I couldn’t get the darn fabric unwrinkled with my steamer. I had to smooth the wrinkles and shadows out in post-production which was a pain.

Are there any areas of photography that you have yet to pick up on that you’d like to learn?

There are some really interesting post production techniques using textures and layers that I’d like to explore.

Do you see yourself as a photographer many years down the road?

One of the great things about photography is that it’s something that you can do at just about any age. Even if I get tired of hoisting 10+ lbs of equipment several hours a day, I could see myself using my little mirrorless camera or even my iPhone for photography. I’ve seen some extraordinary photos coming out of phones these days.

Today I have the honor of presenting an interview that comes all the way from Eastbourne, East Sussex in the UK. Peter Brooks is a talented wildlife and nature Photographer, whose work is a reflection of his appreciation for exploring nature. Through his photography, Peter finds inspiration for conveying the importance of protecting the natural world. Peter, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us and thank you so much for all your thoughtful responses. It’s not every day we get a behind the scenes view of someone with such a keen eye.

My name is Peter Brooks, I’m a wildlife and nature photographer from Sussex in the South East of the UK, I love being outdoors, spending time with friends and family, I work in IT and I’m getting married this summer to my amazing girlfriend Bianca, I’m a proud step dad to a crazy 11 year old called Ruby.

Where is home?

Eastbourne, East Sussex in the UK.

After browsing through some of your work, I see that you’re truly immersed in the field of photography. What is it that led you towards photography and how long have you been working in it?

I have always been interested in photography but I never really knew what I wanted to do with it. I always wanted to be taking pictures but nothing ever seemed to excite or inspire me so I didn’t really take any pictures or even own a camera, it wasn’t until about 10 years ago that I accidentally stumbled across the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition’s exhibition in London’s Natural History Museum, this is when I knew what I wanted to do, it all suddenly clicked. I had a small camera at the time but about 6 years ago I got my first DSLR and this is when I started my wildlife photography journey.

Are you self-taught or formally-taught?

I’m self-taught and still learning every time I’m out with the camera.

Where have you found the majority of valuable information along your journey (online, in person, mentor, college, etc…)?

I find most of the information I need online, the internet is such a wealth of information. I also love looking at other photographers work, I find it so inspiring, if I see a shot that blows me away I love to know how they got that shot. I find that looking at all different sorts of photography helps you look at your own work differently too. I have met some great people through photography who have always been helpful and I’ve had the chance recently to meet a few pro’s who have given me some great tips.

Regarding your styles of photography, which do you prefer the most (wildlife, landscape, travel, etc…)?

Wildlife is my passion, this is what excites me, I have always loved animals and the wildlife around me and this is what drives my photography, I do touch on other areas of photography (I recently got commended in the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition) and do enjoy them but wildlife is the real driving force.

Regarding your wildlife photos, which truly are remarkable, what advice can you offer to those who would like to begin taking these types of photographs?

Spend time in nature, take photos of what you love and that will show in the work you produce.

Don’t worry about expensive cameras and all that comes with it get out there learn about your subjects, there is no point having the best camera in the world if you don’t know where your subjects are or how to approach photographing them respectfully in the wild. Also, spend time learning all you can about your camera and how to use it, you don’t want to be putting in all the work on getting to know your subject and their movements for the time to come when the perfect moment is right there to look at the photos after and realise everything was set wrong and you have nothing to show for all your hard work.

Is photography your full-time career?

Unfortunately, no, hopefully one day but for now I’m an enthusiastic amateur.

What is your favorite part of being a photographer?

It’s got to be the time spent with the amazing wildlife and the memorable encounters, sometimes I can be a few feet from some animals that people can go their whole life without seeing. I then have my photos as a lasting memory of these.

What is the most challenging part of being a photographer?

Time, we all lead such busy lives and wildlife photography generally isn’t one of those things you can just pop out for 10 minuets and do, sometimes there can be hours waiting for a subject to arrive and sometimes it can be weeks of waiting for a brief encounter.

Who or what inspires you in your personal life and work?

I’m inspired by everything, my friends and family are very supportive and inspire me daily be better. I’m inspired by the great work being produced by photographers around the world, but my main inspiration is the beautiful world we live in and the wildlife we share it with.

How do you keep yourself motivated and your photography fresh?

I’m always motivated and excited to get out with the camera and to see wildlife, I always try to show wildlife at its best wild free and behaving naturally, sometimes it can be hard to stay motivated when the wildlife is being elusive and you’re not getting the results you want but I just remind myself of why I enjoy doing what I do and remembering the feeling of getting the shot you are after, the harder it is the bigger the reward and sense of accomplishment.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer just starting out?

Whatever type of photography you are doing, spend time getting to know your camera, learn it inside out so you can react to changing conditions etc and know what buttons are where instinctively.

Share with us your favorite image and why.

My favourite image changes daily but this one of a sleeping little owlet just sums up everything I love about wildlife photography, I had spent a lot of time working up to these shots making sure the owls were completely at ease with my presence, and what I love about this is that this little owl was comfortable enough to fall asleep about 15 feet from where I was and of course it is just an adorable photo of a sleeping baby owl, does it get much cuter!?

What do you hope viewers take away from your images?

I want them to be inspired by what they see, I generally shoot locally to where I live, 90% of my work is shot at a maximum of 20 minutes drive from my house, I want people to see what amazing wildlife we have tight under our noses and what there is to see if we just take a bit of time and look a little closer, hopefully once they see how amazing and wonderful it is they will want to see it for themselves and protect if for future generations.

What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What is your favorite lens?

I shoot with a Nikon camera and lens, my favorite lens is my 200-500 5.6 which rarely comes off my camera.

What is in your camera bag?

Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500 f5.6, Nikon 24-70 f2.8, Nikon 50mm f1.8

What is your favorite photography accessory?

Its got to be my bag hide, basically a camo tent with no poles, lets me remain hidden and allows the wildlife to go about their business not knowing I’m there.

What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have yet?

I would love a Nikon prime long lens, maybe a 600mm or the 800mm 5.6 but purely a pipe dream as this equipment has a rather large price tag.

How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

I use Adobe Lightroom to edit my photos. Photography and editing software go hand in hand, I generally only make small alterations bringing the image to how I saw it as what is caught RAW in camera is never quite the finished product. Generally I will add a little sharpness and contrast, maybe a small crop for composition or straightening.

Was there a point in your photography journey when you started to feel really good about your work? If so, what did it feel like to get past that “tipping point?”

I think it was when I started taking pictures that I was really proud of and excited to show people. I think this was around the time I won a place in the RSPB calendar, this was also about the time I was setting up my website. This was about 3 years ago.

Do you see yourself as a photographer many years down the road?

Yes, I don’t think it is something I will ever stop doing or enjoying, there is so much to learn and so much wonderful wildlife and so many amazing places out there that I would like to photograph. I’m adding things to my list quicker than I am ticking them off.

Today, I have the honor of presenting an interview that comes from Derbyshire in the UK. Scott Lyons’ body of work is quite expansive and he is always up for the challenge of capturing new things that inspire his passion. Scott has developed his very own distinctive approach and style, providing his viewers with stunning photographs.

Scott, thank you for sharing your thoughtful answers with us and for allowing us to get to know a bit about you. You are a brilliant photographer and someone who’s work is definitely worth following.

I’m a hobbyist photographer who started sharing the images that I take in 2013. I mostly try to go out on weekends to take new photographs and my main focus at the moment is landscapes and wildlife, although I do change subjects a bit to keep things interesting.

Where is home?

Home is in Derbyshire, just on the border of the Peak District for about three years now

After browsing through your website, I see that you’ve built up an extensive collection of wonderful photography. What is it that led you toward this field and how long have you been working in it?

I received my first DSLR in 2013 as a birthday present. I had cameras before this but never anything as technical. At the same time I was trying to find reasons to get out more, and photography seemed like a great excuse.

What type of session do you look forward to the most vs what type of session you most often do?

I would say I do the sessions I look forward to the most often, which is picking a place to visit for the day and going for a walk, taking photographs along the way. I don’t usually set out with a focus of what I will be photographing on that day (with the exception of sometimes I might have a preference to try and capture wildlife so I’ll change my lens).

When shooting subjects, what do you find most challenging?

Capturing what made me want to look at the thing I’m shooting. Basically conveying in a single photograph what makes that moment something that I want to share.

In regard to marketing, how much of your time do you dedicate to social media? Do you use any special programs or services?

Starting at the tail end of last year I try to post a new photograph to the main social media outlets once a day. I use Hootsuite to schedule posts and a couple of other applications to keep bots at bay.

What do you do to keep your photography fresh and how do you stay motivated to keep on learning?
Luckily I live in a beautiful part of England so there’s plenty of new places to explore, and I’ve only just scratched the surface. As for staying motivated to keep on learning I enjoy the challenge of capturing new things. If I find I’ve taken a lot of wildlife shots recently I’ll try to change around to landscapes for a weekend to stop things getting stale.

What has been the biggest source of inspiration in your work?

Easily my Wife. She’s always doing a great job at scouting out places for us to visit where there will be some good photo opportunities.

Do you visit any photography related websites or blogs on a regular basis, and if so, which ones?

The one I keep mostly up to date with is PetaPixel. There’s a few subreddits I keep an eye on too for photography news.

What advice can you offer to someone who wants to learn about photography?

Don’t take criticism too harshly. If you think your image is good, then that’s all you need. There’s too many people in the field who are willing to tell you what is technically wrong with an image and forget that photography is an art form that is all about eliciting an emotional response.

Share with us your favorite image and why.

My favourite image is this one of a house sparrow because it’s my reminder that you don’t always need the best kit to take a great photo. It was taken on my old Nikon D3100 with the 18-55mm kit lens.

What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What is your favorite lens?

I currently shoot with a Nikon D7200 and favourite lens is my Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8D.

What is in your camera bag?

There’s my Nikon 70-300mm in there for when I want to do wildlife, a Neewer off camera flash and various filters. Also a monopod stuck on the back.

What is your favorite photography accessory?

My off camera flash. Portrait photography is only something I’ve started playing around with recently, but having the flash opens up a whole new world of interesting photography to play with.

What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have yet?

I keep reading great things about the Nikon 200-500mm lens which I would love as my next bit of kit

How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

Very important. I don’t put a single photo online without it at least going through Lightroom.

Can you tell me about one of your favorite or most memorable photo sessions? What made it so great and why did you like it so much?

My most favourite session in recent memory was a trip to Ladybower Reservoir last year. The weather was great and standing at the top of Bamford Edge overlooking the reservoir was breathtaking.

Are there any areas of photography that you have yet to pick up on that you’d like to learn?

As previously mentioned I’ve started playing with portrait photography, but it’s something I would really like to get into more for the different challenges that it holds.

What do you think the future holds for you? Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

Mostly doing more of the same, although I’m hoping that I’ll have a lot more great images to share.

Today’s interview comes from Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex in the UK and features an extraordinarily talented Photographer named Howard Kearley. With a passion for sport and nature, Howard’s photographs exhibit his love for spending time outdoors. Howard’s body of work is quite expansive and his passion and drive for photography speaks for itself.

If you would like to see more of Howard’s work, you can visit his website. You can also follow him on Instagram and Flickr.

Where is home?

Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex, UK.

Can you please tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I have a passion for sport and nature. I particularly love the outdoors, going kitesurfing, snowboarding, and of course taking photos.

After browsing through some of your work, I see that you’re truly immersed in the field of photography. What is it that led you towards photography and how long have you been working in it?

I started taking sports photos due to being off the water due to injury, one of my friends is any avid birder and he took me along one day and my interest in nature photography grew from there. I have been taking photos seriously over the last eight years or so.

Is photography your full-time career?

No, (an expensive hobby) although I do sell prints and have given talks at local photography clubs.

In regard to marketing, how much of your time do you dedicate to social media? Do you use any special programs or services?

I post regularly to social media when I have something worth sharing.

Locations and weather conditions seem to be a crucial aspect to a successful picture. How do you handle these unpredictable factors?

I like adverse conditions, if the subjects there I will take the photos. We all would like perfect conditions, but the weather is what it is. Some of my best shots are in the rain and poor light, so I keep an open mind on the light, if you don’t go out you won’t get any photos.

Regarding your styles of photography, which do you prefer the most (landscape, wildlife, etc…)?

Wildlife.

Regarding your photos, which truly are remarkable, what advice can you offer to those who would like to begin taking these types of photographs?

Have loads of patience, then practice, practice, practice.

What do you do to keep your photography fresh and how do you stay motivated?

I enjoy improving and seeing how improve, motivation is not something I have needed on something I love doing.

Share with us your favorite image and why.

I have dozens! But here is one from last week.

What do you hope viewers take away from your images?

Pleasure, motivation and a smile.

What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What is your favorite lens?

Nikon D850, Nikon D500, 800mm lens, perfect for the Owls.

What is in your camera bag?

All Nikon gear.

What is your favorite photography accessory?

Promedia gimbal head.

What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have yet?

Nikon new 500mm PF lens

How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

Very, photography and PP work go side by side.

Are there any areas of photography that you have yet to explore and that you’d like to learn?

Generally would like to improve at what I’m doing at the moment.

What do you think the future holds for you? Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

Semi-retired now (just) so more kitesurfing, snowboarding, photo nature trips in the UK and abroad would be cool.